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The first half of the California League season has brought nothing but joy to the fan base of the Visalia Rawhide.

The Rawhide are in terrific position to win the North Division first-half title — eight games in front of Modesto with 25 games remaining.

No Visalia franchise has won a first-half crown since the Visalia Oaks took the South first-half title in 1990. Since 1997, a first-half title is more significant than a second-half title because it results in an automatic spot in the division finals.

What could make this season even better for the Rawhide?

How about adding the No. 1 overall pick of the 2015 Major League Baseball draft to help bolster the pursuit of the franchise's first California League championship since 1978

The Arizona Diamondbacks own the No. 1 overall pick to the MLB draft, and there is increasing speculation that the Diamondbacks will use that selection on Vanderbilt shortstop Dansby Swanson.

Two of the nation's top MLB mock drafts — generated by MLB.com's Jim Callis and ESPN.com's Keith Law —have the Diamondbacks selecting Swanson.

Swanson has the type of skill set that leaves major league scouts salivating — an outstanding athletic shortstop who can play Gold Glove-caliber defense to go with an explosive bat. Swanson is hitting .438 with 13 home runs, 40 extra-base hits and 58 RBIs in 237 at-bats for the Commodores.

In years past, the No. 1 overall pick of the draft normally didn't make their professional debut until the next season because of prolonged contract negotiations.

But under MLB's current draft system — which has bonus pool allotment for teams and slot values for picks — drafted players must sign by July 17.

In 2011, the Diamondbacks selected Trevor Bauer out of UCLA with the third overall pick. By late July, Bauer was pitching for the Rawhide. Bauer appeared in three games for the Rawhide before being promoted to Double-A.

The 2015 MLB draft begins on June 8, and the first round will be televised by the MLB Network.

The other name being linked to the Diamondbacks at No. 1 is UC Santa Barbara right-hander Dillon Tate. Tate, who throws in the mid-90s and has a muscular physique (not often seen in starting pitchers), owns an 8-4 record for the Gauchos with a 2.08 earned run average and 100 strikeouts in 95 1/3 innings.

The return of 2013 National League all-star left-hander Patrick Corbin would be a boon to the Diamondbacks' major-league roster, and Arizona' front-office brass is hoping that day is coming soon.

Corbin, who is coming off Tommy John surgery, allowed three runs in five innings in an intrasquad game May 18 at the Diamondbacks' spring-training facility. But when Corbin makes his next rehab start is up in the air.

"This guy is very important to us," Diamondbacks general manager Dave Stewart said to the Arizona Republic's Nick Piecoro. "So, it's important to be sure we're not putting him in a position to once again hurt himself. If he needs a few extra days in between starts, that's what we're going to give him."

Corbin had a phenomenal eight-start stint with the Rawhide in 2010. Corbin posted a 1.38 earned run average in eight starts.

Stewart did tell Piecoro that Corbin's next start will likely be with the Rawhide or at Double-A Mobile. The Rawhide begin a seven-game homestand Wednesday at Recreation Park.

Stay tuned.

It's almost June 1...

The reported deadline that Major League Baseball has set to the ownership of the Bakersfield Blaze on a possible new stadium in Salinas is less than a week away.

As reported by the Salinas Californian, Bakersfield Blaze owner D.G. Elmore needs to show Major League Baseball by June 1 that everything is in order (proposed financing methods, disclose any possible issues) in regards to building a new ballpark in Salinas. If Major League Baseball approves the project, then Elmore and developers can move forward.

But what happens if MLB doesn't give Elmore the green light?

If the development deal in Salinas falls through, it will mark the second time in less than a year a proposed ballpark in Salinas has failed. There are no other viable options in California for the Blaze to move to, so it would appear that the Blaze would remain in Bakersfield.

However, there are signs that Minor League Baseball has no qualms about moving Bakersfield and the High Desert Mavericks to the Carolina League if the stadium issues regarding those two teams are not settled soon.

"Obviously if they can't find suitable situations in California then we have to look to move those teams forward. But that's not something I can put into place unilaterally. I'm not necessarily blaming them because they have spent a lot of time, and in some cases a lot of money, but it's results we need now. Effort is nice, but results are what count," Minor League Baseball president Pat O'Conner told Baseball America's Josh Leventhal in December.

High Desert's lease with the city of Adelanto expires at the end of the season. The Mavericks do have three one-year extension options.

This marks the third time over the last 13 years where there is a threat of two California League teams transferring to the Carolina League. It first occurred in 2001, and reportedly came close to happening in 2008.

Problem with O'Conner declaring that a move to the Carolina League is possible is that is seems like it's just posturing. The same problems that the Blaze and Mavericks are encountering in California — lack of public/private funds for a new ballpark — are also happening in towns that would be suitable for the Carolina League.

Prospect Watch

•Stock Surge: Jordan Patterson, Modesto. On a Nuts roster that features four of the Colorado Rockies' top 17 prospects (as deemed by MLB.com) — Ryan McMahon (No. 4), Raimel Tapia (No. 6), Rosell Herrera (No. 9), Correlle Prime (No. 17) — the player having the kind of season that vault them to elite status is Patterson, who's ranked No. 21 on that MLB.com list of top Rockies' prospects. Patterson leads the California League with a 1.048 OPS. The left-handed hitting outfielder is hitting. 336 with 27 extra-base hits in 134 at-bats. He has four home runs and 21 RBIs. Patterson was a 2013 fourth-round pick out of South Alabama.

•Stock Drop: Domingo Leyba, Visalia. The Rawhide shortstop started the season strong, but has struggled in may. Leyba is hitting .219, and his .505 OPS is the league's third-lowest among players who are eligible for the batting title. MLB.com ranked Leyba as the No. 9 prospect in the Diamondbacks' farm system at the outset of the season. The D-backs acquired Leyba in a three-way deal with the Detroit Tigers and New York Yankees that sent shortstop Didi Gregorious to the Yankees, and Leyba from the Tigers organization to Arizona.

How to attend

The Visalia Rawhide open a seven-game homestand Wednesday at Recreation Park. The Bakersfield Blaze (Seattle Mariners affiliate) are in for three games followed by a four-game series versus the Modesto Nuts (Colorado Rockies affiliate). Wednesday's game starts at 6 p.m. Information: 559-732-4433 or www.rawhidebaseball.com.